ii INTRODUCTION. 



Most of the textures occur in more than one organ, and some of them 

 indeed, as the connective and vascular, in nearly all, so that a multitude of 

 organs, and these greatly diversified, are constructed out of a small number 

 of constituent tissues, just as many different words are formed by the 

 varied combinations of a few letters ; and parts of the body, differing 

 widely in form, construction, and uses, may agree in the nature of their 

 component materials. Again, as the same texture possesses the same 

 essential characters in whatever organ or region it is found, it is obvious 

 that the structure and properties of each tissue may be made the subject 

 of investigation apart from the organs into whose formation it enters. 



General and Descriptive Anatomy. These considerations naturally point 

 out to the Anatomist a twofold line of study, and have led to the subdivi- 

 sion of Anatomy into two branches, the one of which treats of the nature 

 and general properties of the component textures of the body : the other 

 treats of its several organs, members, and regions, describing the outward 

 form and internal structure of the parts, their relative situation and mutual 

 connection, and the successive conditions which they present in the pro- 

 gress of their formation or development. The former is usually named 

 " General" Anatomy, or "Histology;"* the latter "Descriptive" 

 Anatomy. 



* From Iffrbs, a web. 



